China's auto market has long been considered relatively healthy. After all, the market is fairly transparent and one rarely hears about blatant cases of fraud or unfairness involving cars or car products.

Except, that is, when it comes to tires.

Unlike most other automotive products, tires rarely carry marked prices and most customers have to bargain with tire retailers the same way they would haggle with vendors at a wet market. Few customers though have complained about this phenomenon and take it as just another part of auto ownership. Yet, if Chinese shoppers don't realize that pushing for more pricing information is in their best interests, tire sellers will walk all over them.

With regard to tire pricing, China could learn a thing or two from the US, where customers realize the importance of reference prices. For instance, both Bridgestone and Michelin prominently display suggested retail prices for their tires on their official North America websites. Why isn't the same thing done here in China?

The author is Yang Kairan, a financial reporter.